OK to heat pre-cooked rice from frozen?

[BRISTOL86]

Sorry if this is a daft question, but I made some pilau rice a few weeks ago and froze it after it was completely cooked - do I need to defrost it completely before cooking or can I cook it (microwave) from completely frozen?

[carreauchompeur]

Nah, I'd just add some water and nuke it. The combo of freezing then vigorously nuking should kill any nasties.

I know there's a 'thing' about not reheating rice but I've never had issues.

[Audidodat]

The thing with rice is that the nasties can generate toxins, which the heat won't kill. Which is why rice is the biggest food poisoner going. Considering rice is fairly cheap and easy to prepare, I wouldn't bother.

Having said that, I'll eat takeaway rice the morning after when it hasn't even been in the fridge, so I'm my own worst enemy.

[BRISTOL86]

Thanks all

thelittleegg said:

AFAIK the problem with rice is cooking it then having it sit around at room temperature for a long time.

If you cooked it, cooled it, then froze it, I see no problem.

The reason people are worried about cooking from frozen is that it's often quite hard to actually cook something properly all the way through. But with rice I'd nuke-stir-nuke-stir-nuke.

Yeah that's what I thought - it was frozen as soon as it had cooled after cooking so think it'll be fine. Cheers!

[Vyse]

Ive eaten rice all my life and have never gotten ill over it. Ive cooked it, left at room temp to chill, placed in fridge for a few days, steamed it and eaten it and I haven't died. Too much scaremongering around.

You'd need to be pretty harsh to the rice before you start getting spores or whatever starting to develop.

[ambuletz]

thelittleegg said:

AFAIK the problem with rice is cooking it then having it sit around at room temperature for a long time.

If you cooked it, cooled it, then froze it, I see no problem.

The reason people are worried about cooking from frozen is that it's often quite hard to actually cook something properly all the way through. But with rice I'd nuke-stir-nuke-stir-nuke.

I grew up always having a rice cooker. we'd cook the rice in it, leave whatevers left in it and then heat it up again up to 24hrs later either in the rice cooker or in the microwave, never once had a problem from eating it. We would never keep it longer then that though.

[Bill]

thelittleegg said:

The reason people are worried about cooking from frozen is that it's often quite hard to actually cook something properly all the way through. But with rice I'd nuke-stir-nuke-stir-nuke.

This. No amount of heat makes it safe if there are nasties present.

AIUI the issue with rice is keeping it warm. If it cools quickly* it's fine.

*no idea how quick "quickly" is though...

[PoleDriver]

There are many companies who sell frozen microwave meals containing rice! Can't see the problem!?